ER hives study: do steroids really help?

NCT ID NCT03545464

Completed Symptom relief Sponsor: Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Jun 26, 2026 · Last updated Jun 26, 2026

Summary

This study tested whether giving a steroid (cortancyl) along with an antihistamine (levocetirizine) is better than the antihistamine alone for treating sudden hives in the emergency department. 137 adults with acute urticaria (with or without mild angioedema) were enrolled. The main goal was to see if the antihistamine alone was not worse than the combination at controlling hives and itching over 7 days.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Corticosteroid (prednisone) and antihistamine (levocetirizine)
What this could lead to: If successful, this could show that antihistamines alone are enough for acute hives, avoiding unnecessary steroid use.
What could go wrong: This is a completed Phase 3 trial with only 137 participants, so results may not apply to everyone. The study focused on non-inferiority, not superiority, so it may not show a clear benefit of one approach over the other.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

angioedema urticaria

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

ANGIŒDEMA URTICARIA

Contacts and locations

Locations

Hospital Louis MOURIER

Colombes, Île-de-France Region, 92700, France

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